Unified XML voice and data media converging switch and application delivery system

ABSTRACT

A Unified XML integrated voice and data application delivery system includes a switch coupled to a first network and at least a second network, wherein the first network includes distinct voice and data applications and the second network includes one or more user devices, such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant (PDA), etc. The switch transfers voice and data between the applications and the user devices. A controller coupled to the switch includes a finite state machine controlling the interaction between the voice and data applications and the user devices. The finite state machine controls the transfer of voice and data between the applications and the user devices by the switch to enable a user to interact with the integrated instance of the voice and data applications simultaneously via the user devices. The second network includes data networks such as the Internet, wireless networks, and the public switched telephone network, and the user devices can include telephones, cell phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and other devices. A Unified XML engine governs the management and delivery of disparate XML files and RTP streams of converged voice and data content to heterogeneous devices over disparate carrier networks and protocols.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 60/278,808 filed Mar. 26, 2001.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is related to the field of network delivery ofcomputer application services to users.

There is widespread use of computer-based services that are delivered tousers via some type of network. Well known examples include the servingof hypertext and other information files by servers in the Internet, andinteractive voice response (IVR) systems via which telephone users canaccess various types of databases or services. The Internet model ofinformation access is becoming available via wireless devices such aspersonal digital assistants (PDAs), and wireless telephones areincreasingly being used as a supplement to or instead of traditionalwire-line phones.

The services available via different communications networks are largelyindependent of each other. For example, IVR applications—accessible viawire-line or wireless phones via voice interface—are generallyintegrated in some fashion with a switched telephone network, eitherpublic or private, whereas data applications—accessible via computersand handheld devices via data interface—are deployed in connection withsome type of data network, such as the Internet or a corporate datanetwork. A user interacting with one of these applications receives arelatively limited experience, in that the user interacts via eithervoice or data but not both simultaneously. For example, in an IVRapplication, a user is given selection choices in the form of a list ofvoice statements; there is no displaying of selection information suchas is common in computer user interfaces. Similarly, in dataapplications there is generally no provision for voice interactionbetween the system and users. These limitations stem at least in partfrom the nature of the communications networks on which the services aredeployed and the devices from which these services are accessed. Thetelephone network has been designed primarily to carry voice traffic,and provides only a very basic transmission function when carrying data.The data networks such as the Internet have been designed primarily forfile transfer and other computer data exchange; only recently have thesenetworks begun to carry voice and other real-time media. Furthermore,access devices have typically been capable of delivering either voiceonly or data only. Even with newer access devices that are capable ofdelivering both voice and data, content delivery is limited to eithervoice or data but not both simultaneously, due to the absence ofconverged or rich-media application delivery systems.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a Unified XML based integratedvoice and data media converging switch and application delivery system,together forming an integrated application delivery system, aredisclosed that enable users to interact with computer applications in agenerally richer manner, enhancing service effectiveness and usersatisfaction.

The disclosed integrated application delivery system includes a switchcoupled to a first network and to one or more second networks, whereinthe first network includes distinct voice and data applications and thesecond network includes one or more user devices, such as a cell phone,personal digital assistant (PDA), etc. The switch transfers voice anddata between the applications on the first network and respective onesof the user devices on the second network. A controller coupled to theswitch includes a finite state machine controlling the interaction ofthe voice and data applications with the user. In particular, the finitestate machine controls the transfer of voice and data between theapplications and the user devices by the switch so as to enable a userto interact with the voice and data applications simultaneously via theuser devices. Thus, a user can interact with an IVR system via a cellphone, for example, while simultaneously viewing related data from adatabase in a graphical form on a PDA. The user is given greaterflexibility in managing the nature of the interaction with theapplications, resulting in greater overall effectiveness and usersatisfaction.

The Unified XML component of the voice and data media converging switchand application delivery system allows various heterogeneous XML DTDformats (vocabularies) to be integrated as-is on a single softwareplatform, thereby allowing convergence, unification and delivery ofdifferent presentation formats without any modification to theirrespective vocabularies or DTD. The integrated application deliverysystem delivers both voice and data to end devices simultaneously andsynchronously. The Unified XML capability allows Voice XML to bedelivered to a mobile phone user while also delivering WML, clipping orFlexScript to the same user's handheld device such as a Palm V, Palm VIIor a BlackBerry to enable users to interact via both voice and datadevices interactively in a synchronous and simultaneous way.

Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will beapparent from the detailed description that follows.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The invention will be more fully understood by reference to thefollowing Detailed Description of the Invention in conjunction with theDrawing, of which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of conventional application delivery systemsenabling delivery of either a voice or data application over a singlenetwork;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a wide-area network incorporating anintegrated application delivery system deployable over multiple networksand heterogeneous devices in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of the integrated application delivery systemof FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the relationship between a developmentenvironment and a run-time environment for the integrated applicationdelivery system of FIGS. 2 and 3;

FIG. 5 is a diagram of a Unified XML engine that is part of a controllerin the runtime environment of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a diagram of a finite state machine (FSM) template created inthe development environment and utilized in the run-time environment ofFIG. 4; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an operating example of the integratedapplication delivery system of FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/278,808filed Mar. 26, 2001 is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

In a conventional arrangement illustrated in FIG. 1, separateapplication delivery systems including a wireless application deliverysystem 4, an interactive voice response (IVR) application deliverysystem 6, and an Internet application delivery system 8 are coupled toan enterprise Internet Protocol (IP) network 12, which is also coupledto one or more servers on which application programs or “applications”14 and one or more databases 16 reside. The applications 14 anddatabases 16 may include applications and/or databases that are privateto an enterprise, such as corporate scheduling or records, or mayinclude applications and/or databases used in providing services toothers, such as an automated ticket purchasing system for use by thepublic. Additionally, the applications 14 generally include data and“media” components, such as voice or video, in their respective userinterfaces.

The various application delivery systems 4, 6 and 8 are coupled to usernetworks of different types, such as a wireless network 18, the publicswitched telephone network (PSTN) 20, and the Internet 22. Thesenetworks are connected to corresponding user devices. For example, thewireless network 18 is connected to telephones and portable computersreferred to as “personal digital assistants” or PDAs 24. The PSTN 20 isconnected to telephones 26, and the Internet 22 is connected to portablepersonal computers (PCs) and PDAs 28.

In the conventional arrangement of FIG. 1, the separate conventionalapplication delivery systems 4, 6 and 8 are limited in their individualcapacities to delivering enterprise applications 14 or databases 16through only a single mode, i.e. voice or data, through a respectivesingle network, i.e. wireless network 18, PSTN 20, or Internet 22, andthrough a single device, i.e. PSTN telephone or PDA 24, wireless phone26, or hand-held device or PC 28.

In FIG. 2, an integrated application delivery system (IADS) 10 inaccordance with the present invention is coupled between the enterpriseIP network 12 and the various networks 18, 20 and 22. The integratedapplication delivery system 10 allows content and information from theapplications 14 and databases 16 to be delivered to any of the devices24, 26 or 28 via the respective network(s) 18, 20 or 22. The content canbe delivered in “thin-client” Extensible Markup Language (XML) formatssuch as Wireless Markup Language (WML), Hypertext Markup Language(HTML), voice XML, and others, and can be delivered in suitable formatsfor “intelligent clients” such as Palm™ handhelds, devices based on theEPOC operating system, and Pocket PCs. The device type is detectedinitially during operation, and then content is formatted in a mannerbest suited to the accessing device.

For example, if the accessing device is a mobile phone capable ofcommunicating according to the Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), thecontent is delivered in WML format. Similarly, Handheld Markup Language(HDML) or compact HTML (cHTML) formats are used when the device has theappropriate capability. If the device is a traditional phone, then theinformation can be rendered in Voice XML. When a user uses more than onedevice to access data, then the content is rendered in multiple formatson multiple devices delivered over multiple networks—all simultaneously.For example, if a user uses a WAP enabled PDA device and a mobile phonein concert, then the content is delivered in a Unified XML convergedformat such as WML for the PDA device and Voice XML or VxML for themobile phone device. The WAP/WML is delivered over the wireless networkas a data packet while the Voice XML or VxML is delivered over eitherthe wireless network or a dedicated voice channel of the PSTN. In theformer case, both voice and data are delivered over wireless networks todevices connected to wireless networks, whereas in the latter case,voice and data are delivered over two separate networks—the PSTN andwireless networks.

FIG. 3 shows the structure of the integrated application delivery system10 in greater detail. It includes one or more media converging switches30 and an Unified XML runtime controller 32. As shown, the convergingswitch 30 includes connections to the various user networks 18, 20 and22, as well as to the enterprise IP network (EIN) 12. The Unified XMLcontroller 32 is also coupled to the enterprise IP network 12 forcommunicating with the convergence switch 30 as well as with theapplications 14 and databases 16 of FIG. 2. The Unified XML controller32 controls the delivery of content via the convergence switch 30 usinga control protocol such as MEGACO (Media Gateway Control protocol). Theswitch 30 performs the gateway-like function of translating data packetsor streams between the enterprise IP network 12 and the user networks18, 20, and 22. An example is presented below to illustrate this aspectof operation of the switch 30.

The Unified XML runtime controller 32 is a software platform, moreparticularly an Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) based distributed computingand communications environment that enables development, deployment andmanagement of wireless and wireline applications and services that areprotocol agnostic and device independent—regardless of hardware,operating system, protocol or location. The Unified XML softwareplatform is an N-Tier distributed computing architecture that employsEJB component architecture, Java (J2EE) and Extensible Markup Language(XML) technologies. The EJB architecture provides support fortransactional services and makes the technology distributed, portable,multi-tier, scaleable, and secure, and enables the deployment of thesame code-base across multiple platforms. The Java development languageis independent of the specific hardware or operating system. It'srun-time compiled version creates byte-code that can be run on anyplatform supporting a Java Virtual machine. Such capability enables asingle compiled version of released software that can be installed ondifferent platforms, including Unix and NT/2000 platforms.

Remote wireless devices are supported by a “thin-client” architecturethat dynamically generates XML based presentation interface to allowaccess from a great majority of the currently available wireless deviceslike WAP enabled mobile phones, Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs),BlackBerry, Handspring, HDML enabled phones etc. The architectureprovides the necessary interoperability between the many heterogeneousenvironments, data stores, applications and presentation devices. It isa robust and scaleable platform designed for Enterprises and ASPs tointegrate with Telco-class systems to provide a similar Quality ofService (QoS) provisioned over a telecommunication infrastructure andnetwork today. The converging switch 30 is an Intelligent IP, PSTN,Wireless Switching Router that is packaged as a hardware device that canbe connected on the edge of an IP network within an enterprise toprovide intelligent switching and routing of messages and XML datapackets between IP, Wireless and the PSTN network. The device hasstandard ports for connecting it to the TCP/IP network and Public SwitchTelephony Network. It supports analog POTS, ISDN BRI/PRI, and T1/E1 CASlocal loops. Convergent applications developed and deployed over UnifiedXML engine can use these interfaces to originate, terminate, and forwardPSTN and Wireless voice calls. It also supports the digital handsetssupported by several PBXs, including Nortel Meridian, Lucent/AvayaDEFINITY, Siemens, NEC and Mitel. By doing so, the switch can interfacewith PBX functionality including harnessing the voice mail andintegrating with data from IP network. It supports several IP-basedmedia and signaling protocols via standards-based LAN technologies suchas Bluetooth, IEEE 802.3 (Ethernet), IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b (WiFi),ANSI41, CCS/SS7 and Hybrid Fiber Channel. It supports VOIP based uponeither H.323 or SIP. In an H.323 environment, the platform can act as agateway, endpoint, or multipoint controller unit (MCU) for voice/dataand video convergence. In a SIP environment, the platform can act as aClient User Agent (CUA), Server User Agent (SUA), or proxy server. Inboth cases, the platform relies upon RTP in either multicast ormulti-unicast modes to transfer media streams.

A key aspect of the integrated application delivery system 10 is itsability to deliver both voice and data to end devices simultaneously andsynchronously. For example, Voice XML can be delivered to a user'smobile phone 24 (FIG. 2) while data content such as WML, Web ClippingApplication (WCA) or FlexScript can be delivered to the same user's PDA28. The user has the ability to interact via both voice and data devicessimultaneously in a synchronized fashion. An example presented belowillustrates this manner of interaction and the types of integratedapplications that are made possible. Additionally, because theintegrating functionality resides within the integrated applicationdelivery system 10, this integrated voice/data interaction can beachieved without the need to re-write existing applications 14 ordatabases 16, which individually may be limited to only data or voiceinteraction, as in traditional corporate databases or interactive voiceresponse (IVR) systems.

FIG. 4 illustrates how an integrated voice/data application instance tobe made available via the integrated application delivery system 10 iscreated. An application developer interacts with a developmentenvironment 34 to produce a finite state machine (FSM) template 36,which is stored in a database 38. The stored FSM template 36 is madeavailable to a run-time environment 40 forming part of the controller 32of FIG. 3. As described below, the FSM template 36 serves to define asequence of operational states of an integrated application. Inparticular, it identifies data and media (voice or video) files orstreams associated with each state, connections or paths to the userdevices involved in the session, and other pertinent information.

FIG. 5 illustrates a simplified example of a Unified XML Bus 42 that isan integral component of the Controller 32. The Unified XML bus 42allows various heterogeneous XML DTD formats (vocabularies) to beintegrated as-is on a single software platform, thereby allowingconvergence, unification and delivery of different presentation formatswithout any modification to their vocabularies or DTD. These XMLvocabularies include commonly available formats like Voice XML or SpeechObjects 44, WML/HDML 46, HTML 48, and iMode/cHTML 50, and are capable ofbeing em rendered on both wireline and wireless devices through theconvergence switch 30 (FIG. 3). A specific format of XML (such as WML46) can be seamlessly delivered with another format of XML (such asVoice XML 44) without any modifications to its headers, tags orstructure. Within the context of the Unified XML bus 42, disparate XMLformats can be delivered with a programmable application contextallowing for example both WML to be delivered on a PDA and Voice XML tobe delivered over a traditional PSTN or mobile phone. The architectureis also capable of supporting future versions of XML vocabularies orDTDs, thereby making the Unified XML platform upward compatible to anyevolving presentation standard. Unified XML metadata repository 54maintains the context of the application transaction and deliversdisparate XML formats on disparate devices via a runtime manager 56. TheUnified XML Controller 32 is connected to the EIN 12 and interoperateswith the convergence switch 30 via the MEGACO protocol 58.

While the above description focuses primarily on the storage andtransfer of application data as discrete files such as XML files, inalternative embodiments the data may be structured in a stream-orientedfashion such as a Real Time Protocol (RTP) stream. As indicated byexemplary RTP streams 60 and 62 in FIG. 5, such stream-oriented data canalso be integrated on the Unified XML bus 50.

FIG. 6 shows a simplified example of an FSM template 36. Each userconnection is associated with an instantiation of the FSM and each usersession is allocated a unique context specific to the user's session andis governed by the state of the FSM. Each state within the FSM isassociated with a set of properties whose value changes upon statetransition. Properties are User Authentication and authorizationdetails, Session variables, application context, conditions fortransition to next state and user's channel and device parameters. Theseproperties are not stored within the FSM but are kept persistent by theunique instantiation of the FSM. Upon invocation of the integratedapplication, an initial state such as state 64-A is entered, and one ormore initial data and/or voice files are played to the user as dictatedby the application. Depending on user input, the FSM enters one of twosubsequent states 64-B or 64-C. This pattern continues through states64-D, 64-E, and 64-F to an exit state 64-G.

In addition to the FSM templates 36, the integrated application deliverysystem 10 maintains a “unifier stack” data structure that identifiesdifferent versions of XML files that can be delivered synchronously andasynchronously on disparate devices. The stack maintains pointers tothese files; the files themselves are generally stored elsewhere in theenterprise network 12. The XML files may be developed using anintegrated development system such as that of FIG. 4, or may be providedby third parties. In the following example, the application developersintend to deliver a Voice XML file to a mobile phone, a WML file to aWAP-enabled PDA, and a Short Message Service (SMS) message to the mobilephone.

The exemplary stack has the following structure:

1 Voice XML file 1 Device A 2 WML file 1 Device B Asynch 3 Voice XMLfile 2 Device A Asynch 4 WML file 2 Device B Asynch 5 SMS file 1 DeviceA Asynch

The first pointer identifies a Voice XML file to be delivered to “DeviceA”, which in this case is a mobile phone. The user hears the Voice XMLcall and interacts with it via voice commands as defined within thecontext of the Voice XML programming logic.

The second pointer identifies a WML file to be delivered to “Device B”,in this case a PDA. This file is to be delivered “asynchronously”, i.e.,upon occurrence of a trigger event. In this case, the trigger eventcould be the completion of the previous file (i.e., Voice XML file 1) oran explicit instruction contained in Voice XML file 1 to send WML file1.

The third pointer identifies a second Voice XML file for delivery to themobile phone (Device A). Further user interaction with this Voice XMLfile may ensue.

The fourth pointer identifies a second WML file to be delivered to thePDA.

The fifth pointer identifies an SMS message to be delivered to themobile phone upon successful delivery and termination of the program onthe PDA.

A specific operating example is now presented in connection with FIG. 7.In this example, a user employs a telephone and PDA to interact with anapplication for vending tickets, such as tickets to sporting events. Theintegrated application has an associated FSM template 36 and unifierstack residing in the integrated application delivery system 10 thatdefine, along with the ticketing application itself, the nature of theuser's interaction. In this example, there are six steps in theinteraction, each involving the delivery of content over respectivepaths in the PSTN 20 and the wireless network 18 as indicated by thecircled numbers in FIG. 7. In each case, the switch 30 of FIG. 3operates under the control of the controller 32 to direct theappropriate file from an entity on the enterprise network 12 to thecorrect user network and device:

-   1. The IADS 10 in a ticketing enterprise delivers the IVR ticketing    application via Voice XML over the PSTN 20 to the user's phone 26,    enabling the user to use voice-based commands to seek availability    of the tickets.-   2. The IADS 10 also delivers data representing a seating layout over    the wireless network 18 to the user's PDA 24. The user can examine    this graphical information to help decide which seats to choose.    Once a choice is made, the user can indicate the choice via the    phone 26 and the IVR system.-   3. The ticketing enterprise delivers Voice XML over the PSTN network    20 to seek verbal acknowledgment of the selection and authorization    from the user.-   4. At the same time, a WML message may be sent to the user's PDA 24    over the wireless network 18 containing a screen via which the user    can submit his/her credit card number or other payment information.-   5. Upon fulfilling the order, the ticketing enterprise can send an    acknowledgement of the order in the form of a data message to the    user's PDA 24 via the wireless network 18.-   6. Optionally, a voice call can also be placed over the wireless    network 18 to deliver a Voice XML acknowledgment message to the    user's cell phone as well.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications toand variations of the disclosed methods and apparatus are possiblewithout departing from the inventive concepts disclosed herein, andtherefore the invention should not be viewed as limited except to thefull scope and spirit of the appended claims.

1. An integrated application delivery system, comprising: a switchoperative to be coupled to a first network and at least a secondnetwork, the first network including distinct voice and dataapplications, the second network including one or more user devices, theswitch being operative to transfer voice and data between respectiveones of the applications on the first network and respective ones of theuser devices on the second network; and a controller coupled to theswitch, the controller including a finite state machine controlling theinteraction between the voice and data applications and the userdevices, the finite state machine being operative to control thetransfer of voice and data between the applications and the user devicesby the switch so as to enable a user to interact with the voice and dataapplications simultaneously via the user devices.
 2. An integratedapplication delivery system according to claim 1, wherein the controllerfurther includes a unifier stack of pointers to files containing thevoice and data to be transferred from the applications to the userdevices.
 3. An integrated application delivery system according to claim2, wherein the files include markup language files.
 4. An integratedapplication delivery system according to claim 3, wherein the markuplanguage files include extensible markup language (XML) files.
 5. Anintegrated application delivery system according to claim 1, wherein theuser network comprises a wireless network.
 6. An integrated applicationdelivery system according to claim 5, wherein the wireless networkincludes a wireless application protocol (WAP) server, and wherein thedata transferred over the wireless network includes a wireless markuplanguage (WML) formatted file transferred via the WAP server.
 7. Anintegrated application delivery system according to claim 5, wherein asingle device receives both data and voice via the wireless network. 8.An integrated application delivery system according to claim 5, whereintwo distinct devices receive data and voice respectively via thewireless network.
 9. An integrated application delivery system accordingto claim 8, wherein the two distinct devices include a personal digitalassistant (PDA) and a wireless telephone.
 10. An integrated applicationdelivery system according to claim 1, wherein the controller comprises aunified extensible markup language (XML) engine, the voice and dataapplications are disparate applications, and the unified XML engine isoperative to deliver the voice and data applications simultaneouslywithin an application context.
 11. An integrated application deliverysystem according to claim 1, being operative with disparate carriernetworks and protocols.
 12. A system providing for integratedapplication delivery, comprising: a first network including distinctvoice and data applications; at least a second network including one ormore user devices; a switch coupled to the first network and to thesecond network, the switch being operative to transfer voice and databetween respective ones of the applications on the first network andrespective ones of the user devices on the second network; and acontroller coupled to the switch, the controller including a finitestate machine controlling the interaction of the voice and dataapplications with the user devices, the finite state machine beingoperative to control the transfer of voice and data between theapplications and the user devices by the switch so as to enable a userto interact with the voice and data applications simultaneously via theuser devices.
 13. A system according to claim 12, wherein the controllerfurther includes a unifier stack of pointers to files containing thevoice and data to be transferred from the applications to the userdevices.
 14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the files includemarkup language files.
 15. A system according to claim 14, wherein themarkup language files include extensible markup language (XML) files.16. A system according to claim 12, wherein the second network comprisesa wireless network.
 17. A system according to claim 16, wherein thewireless network includes a wireless application protocol (WAP) server,and wherein the data transferred over the wireless network includes awireless markup language (WML) formatted file transferred via the WAPserver.
 18. A system according to claim 16, wherein a single devicereceives both data and voice via the wireless network.
 19. A systemaccording to claim 16, wherein two distinct devices receive data andvoice respectively via the wireless network.
 20. A system according toclaim 19, wherein the two distinct devices include a personal digitalassistant (PDA) and a wireless telephone.
 21. A system according toclaim 12, wherein the controller comprises a unified extensible markuplanguage (XML) engine, the voice and data applications are disparateapplications, and the unified XML engine is operative to deliver thevoice and data applications simultaneously within an applicationcontext.
 22. A system according to claim 12, being operative withdisparate carrier networks and protocols.
 23. An integrated applicationdelivery method, comprising: operating a finite state machinecontrolling the interaction between voice and data applications and auser, the finite state machine including a plurality of operating statesand a set of predetermined criteria for transitioning among theoperating states; during first ones of the operating states of thefinite state machine, engaging the user in an interactive voicecomponent of the voice application via a first network path between thevoice application and a voice-enabled user device; and during secondones of the operating states of the finite state machine, engaging theuser in an interactive data component of the data application via asecond network path between the data application and a data-enabled userdevice.
 24. An integrated application delivery method according to claim23, wherein the first network path includes a path through a wirelessvoice network and the voice-enabled user device is a wireless telephone.25. An integrated application delivery method according to claim 23,further comprising accessing a unifier stack of pointers to filescontaining the voice and data to be transferred from the applications tothe user devices.
 26. An integrated application delivery methodaccording to claim 25, wherein the files include markup language files.27. An integrated application delivery method according to claim 26,wherein the markup language files include extensible markup language(XML) files.
 28. An integrated application delivery method according toclaim 23, wherein the user networks include a wireless network.
 29. Anintegrated application delivery method according to claim 28, whereinthe wireless network includes a wireless application protocol (WAP)server, and wherein the data transferred over the wire less networkincludes a wireless markup language (WML) formatted file transferred viathe WAP server.
 30. An integrated application delivery method accordingto claim 28, wherein a single device receives both data and voice viathe wireless network.
 31. An integrated application delivery methodaccording to claim 28, wherein two distinct devices receive data andvoice respectively via the wireless network.
 32. An integratedapplication delivery method according to claim 31, wherein the twodistinct devices include a personal digital assistant (PDA) and awireless telephone.
 33. An integrated application delivery methodaccording to claim 23, wherein the voice and data applications aredisparate applications, and a unified XML engine is operative to deliverthe voice and data applications simultaneously within an applicationcontext.
 34. A system according to claim 23, being operative withdisparate carrier networks and protocols.